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Monday, April 15, 2013

M is For Mambo

Mambo dance was developed in Cuba by Perez Prado.  In the 1940's, he brought his music and the Mambo dance to Mexico. The music was widely accepted because it gave a freedom of movement in interrupting the music.  The original Mambo is still taught in dance studios in Cuba and Mexico City.

When the Mambo came to New York, the original dance was rejected by American dance teachers and changed into what is now known as Salsa.  American teachers called the original dance, "extreme" and "undisciplined" and added breaking steps so it could be a saleable commodity for social dancing.  The changes they made can't even be danced to the original Mambo music.

The Cuban Mambo is one of the most beautiful free forms of dance. At social dances, one may enter the dance floor with a partner but the dancing may be evolve into dancing alone or with another partner. The Cuban people naturally put the music inside of them and let it come out in the freedom of movement.
Video below is of 2 little kids dancing the American accepted version of Mambo.
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26 comments:

  1. Gosh, I'm the first one on today! Mambo Italiano! I like it when you put the little video clips in, because it gives us a real feel for the dance you are telling us about . What a wonderful hobby for youngsters to have !

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    1. Thisisme
      They really do have the Latin moves for someone so young. Hope they grow up to be champions.

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  2. Oh my giddy aunt!! These two kids are too cute!! And they can dance me off the dance floor just by looking!! LOL!! Awwww hope these two continue to have a bright and brilliant future in dance!!

    So Salsa is a derivative of Mambo? Well I never knew!! Take care
    x

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    1. Old Kitty
      Well, I hope no one would ever dance you off the dance floor. The kids gotta have the interest or you couldn't get them to practice as much as they did. It shows they did a lot of work on their dance.

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  3. Hmmm, I would think that with the freedom of the American dance style, people would've appreciated and welcomed the mambo as is. Ha! No wonder I find the salsa steps so structured for such wildly freeing music.

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    1. The dance teachers did it because in order to give lessons there has to be some basic structure so they have something to teach to everyone. It would be harder to teach freedom of movement. I always find the basic salsa step kinda boring but then I guess one just concentrates on hip movement.

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    2. And, I thought I was the only one who secretly thought the salsa step was boring. But then I could be jealous because I haven't mastered it yet. I'm going to learn the Cuban mambo and see how that it fits me.

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  4. I only can think of the song "Mambo number 5".

    learned something new tho, Salsa is evolved from Mambo.

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    1. I guess I'm stuck in the old Perez Prado's "Pappa loves Mambo, Mama loves mambo" ta ta ta dadada

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  5. Think it would be safer for all involved if I flailed around alone.

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    1. John
      A broom can make make an agreeable partner. Not even any toes to step on. Ha

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  6. They're so young. It's a fabulous dance but I always feel a little uneasy seeing very young kids dancing like that, or am I just being old fashioned!?

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    1. Rosalind
      Do you mean like kiddy porn? I think that too when I see these kiddy beauty contests in their high heel and make-up.

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  7. This one I knew
    Seen it a time or two
    But no way I'd attempt it
    For the floor I would hit
    And unlike the rock I did not think of Mambo number 5
    I thought of bimbo number 5 at my hive
    Weird Al got in my head
    Oh the dread

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    1. Mambo was a big craze
      Back in my much younger days
      If you had lived in that time
      You would have danced I opine
      No one sat on the side, trying to hide
      All on the floor with a gal at their side
      But that was in the 50's, a long time ago
      Now there's a difference, a whole other show.
      Here's to the 50's..... Yay

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  8. Love the beat of the music and look at those two kids go!! She even has heels on, I would break my neck.

    Suppose to get up to 66 today.... heat wave!

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    1. Good. Now you can get out in your garden. I think I mentioned it snowed a lot yesterday. My veggies in the little greenhouse are up and I was afraid they would freeze, but the temp stayed between 40 and 50 in the GH. But I don't now how they did last night... haven't been out yet. (it's already 10 your time but only 7 here). I'm afraid to look at the temp.
      Have fun digging in the dirt. Love to you

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  9. Those kids are Good!! Wow! Whenever I hear the word "mambo" I think of the movie - Dirty Dancing. Hey did you like that movie???

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    1. turquoisemoon
      I love the movie, "Dirty Dancing." In fact whenever I find it on TV, I watch it.... for about the ten thousand time. I felt sad when Patric Swayze died. I bet you did too.

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  10. Those kids were great! What a fun video!!

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    1. Rosey
      I guess that is the time to teach them.... before they get self-conscious, huh?

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  11. I just loved seeing those two kids dance. And doing it so well! Far out!

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  12. Bish
    They got all the right moves. Cute, huh?

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  13. Those kids were great...that has to take a lot of practice.

    A very interesting style.

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  14. I love it!!! Those kids were amazing.

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  15. Hey Manzanita,

    Wow, those kids were awesome! I loved to try dancing like that. I could imagine Sylvester Stallone doing that dance. Rambo does the Mambo :)
    Gary :)

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